REMINDER: No Shares This Week, But Here's What's on U-Pick

This photo of the farm was shared by Instagram user ianblackwellrogers. Thanks, Ian!

 

REMINDER: We're giving the farm workers and volunteers a break to spend the July 4th weekend with their families. So there is no share pick-up this week. We'll resume next Wednesday, July 6.

But you are free to come to the farm for U-Pick. Here's what's available:

• Herbs (Parsley, sorrel, sage, chives, tarragon, dill, chamomile, oregano, thyme, cilantro, mint, lavender, flowers, basil, savory and more.)
• Flowers There are lots! Come help yourself!
• Today through July 2: Zucchini, cucumbers, turnips, radishes, kohlrabi, chard, kale, collards, Tokyo bekana, arugula, peas and spicy mix. (Note: Garlic is not available for U-pick.)

See you next week, and have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

This Week's Share: Garlic, Zucchini, Greens & A Reminder: No Share Next Week

UPDATE: Sorry for any confusion about what's on U-pick. This week, it's only flowers and herbs. But from June 26 - July 2, you can come pick just about anything on the farm. See the full list below, under What's On U-Pick.

 

This week's photo of a zebra swallowtail butterfly was snapped by CSA member Suzanne at the farm. Thanks Suzanne! 

Happy 7th Week of the CSA season! 
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REMINDERS 

No Share Next Week!  To let our workers enjoy the July 4 holiday weekend with their families, we will not be harvesting shares next week. So there will be no pick-up on Weds., June 29 or Sat., July 2. We'll resume the shares on Weds., July 6.

We're Looking for Volunteers in the Garden: The Farm has recently acquired new planters that are designed so that individuals with limited mobility can more easily access them. The planters are already assembled, are moderate in size, and are placed near the wash station. We're looking for a volunteer or two who would like to work with us on maintaining these planters, including:

• Providing input on what we should plant in them (the farm will do the planting)
• Weed and maintain the planters (again, they're a small space)
• Do some watering of the planters when you're at the farm.

Want to volunteer? Let us know!

CBF's Clagett Farm for the "Reconnecting Our Roots" event coming Sunday, June 26:  Those of you on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's email list may have seen an invite this week to "Reconnecting Our Roots," an event being hosted at the farm on Sunday, June 26. At the event, you'll earn more the farm, food, and the connection between local agriculture and the health of the Bay. More information and registration is available on CBF's website. The event is free and open to individuals of all ages. Lunch will be provided, and the event will be rain or shine. Join us! 

Send us your photos! Each week, we aim to feature a CSA member's photo in our updates. It can be a photo you snap of the vegetables you receive, a photo of a dish you make with the share (like the one below), or photos from a visit to the farm. There are two ways to get them to us: email us your own photos or post them to Instagram with hashtag #ClagettFarm. We'll feature them here!

THIS WEEK'S SHARE

2 heads fresh garlic

3 pounds zucchini

1 pound choice of turnips, radishes or kohlrabi 

1/2 pound choice of chard, kale or collards

1/2 pound choice of Tokyo bekana, arugula, basil or cucumbers (limit 1 cucumber)

WHAT'S ON U-PICK:

• Herbs (Parsley, sorrel, sage, chives, tarragon, dill, chamomile, oregano, thyme, cilantro, mint, lavender, flowers, basil, savory and more.)
• Flowers There are lots! Come help yourself!
• From 6/26-7/2: Since there's no harvest next week, everything at the farm is fair game for U-pick from June 26 - July 2, including zucchini, cucumbers, turnips, radishes, kohlrabi, chard, kale, collards, Tokyo bekana, arugula, peas and spicy mix. It might be the best time of year to come pick cucumbers and zucchini. (Note: Garlic is not available for U-pick.)

 WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT WEEK:

• Reminder: There's no share next week. Have a happy 4th!

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS

At today's pick-up, Farm to Feast Catering will be sampling Turnip Greens & Sweet Potato Squares. 

Kathleen shared this recipe for Garlic Scape Pesto - she substitutes cashews for the sunflower seeds and omits the basil. 

And Fred shared this recipe for Orecchiette with Caramelized Turnips, Tuscan Kale, and Cracked Pepper. He used the turnip greens in addition to the kale and used the suggested tip and added Italian sausage.

 

 

That's week 7! Let us know if you have any questions!

~ The Clagett Farm Team

This Week's Share: Zucchini, Carrots, Greens and Turnips

This week's photo of Motherwort and a bee is from Instagram user LittleBirdBotanicals. 

 

Happy 6th Week of the CSA season! 
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REMINDERS 

We're Looking for Volunteers in the Garden: The Farm has recently acquired new planters that are designed so that individuals with limited mobility can more easily access them. The planters are already assembled, are moderate in size, and are placed near the wash station. We're looking for a volunteer or two who would like to work with us on maintaining these planters, including:

• Providing input on what we should plant in them (the farm will do the planting)
• Weed and maintain the planters (again, they're a small space)
• Do some watering of the planters when you're at the farm.

Want to volunteer? Let us know!

CBF's Clagett Farm for the "Reconnecting Our Roots" event coming Sunday, June 26:  Those of you on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's email list may have seen an invite this week to "Reconnecting Our Roots," an event being hosted at the farm on Sunday, June 26. At the event, you'll earn more the farm, food, and the connection between local agriculture and the health of the Bay. More information and registration is available on CBF's website. The event is free and open to individuals of all ages. Lunch will be provided, and the event will be rain or shine. Join us! 

Send us your photos! Each week, we aim to feature a CSA member's photo in our updates. It can be a photo you snap of the vegetables you receive, a photo of a dish you make with the share (like the one below), or photos from a visit to the farm. There are two ways to get them to us: email us your own photos or post them to Instagram with hashtag #ClagettFarm. We'll feature them here!

THIS WEEK'S SHARE

1/2 pound choice of basil or carrots or greens (collards, kale, chard, spicy mix, Tokyo bekana lettuce) 

4 lbs zucchini

3/4 pounds choice of turnips, radishes, rhubarb or kohlrabi 

1/2 pounds garlic scapes

 

WHAT'S ON U-PICK:

• Strawberries. They're still here! No limits on when you can pick them. Come get them any time, any day.
• Herbs (Parsley, sorrel, sage, chives, tarragon, dill, chamomile, oregano, thyme, cilantro, mint, lavender, flowers, basil in high tunnel.)
• Flowers 

 WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT WEEK:

• Greens
• More Zucchini
• More Kohlrabi
• Turnips
• A few carrots

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS

At today's pick-up, Farm to Feast Catering will be sampling two recipes you may want to recreate at home: Garlic Scape Chutney and Vegetarian Stewed Collard Greens. Samples at last week's share included Sorrel and Radish Leaf Vinaigrette and Kohlrabi, Carrot and Cabbage Salad with Cilantro and Lime. 

 

That's week 6! Let us know if you have any questions!

~ The Clagett Farm Team

More Early Summer Recipes for Sorrel and Kohlrabi

Thanks to Farm to Feast catering for these recipes that use early summer ingredients, focusing on Sorrel and Kohlrabi. 

 

Sorrel and Radish Leaf Vinaigrette

• ½ cup sorrel leaves, cleaned
• ½ cup radish leaves, cleaned
• 1 cup parsley
• 1 cup apple cider Vinegar
• 2 Tbs Honey
• ½ cup Olive Oil
• Salt to taste
• Squeeze of Lemon

Place all ingredients up to salt in blender and puree until smooth – strain if desired add squeeze of lemon.

 

Kohlrabi, Carrot and Cabbage Salad with Cilantro and Lime

Serves 6-8

• 3 Cups of Kohlrabi – cut into matchsticks or grated in a food processor
• 3 Cups grated Carrot
• 3 Cups Chopped Nappa Cabbage
• 1 bunch Cilantro , chopped
• ¼ cup Garlic Scapes, chopped
• 1 Orange, zested
• 1 Lime, Zested
• Citrus Honey Vinaigrette:
• ¼ Cup Olive Oil
• ¼ Orange Juice (from your zested orange)
• 1/8 cup lime juice (from your zested lime)
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 Tbs Rice Wine Vinegar

Mix all ingredients for the salad into a bowl. Whisk dressing in a small bowl, toss with salad and refrigerate for an hour until serving.  

This Week's Share: Greens, Garlic Scapes and More

This week's photo features a very happy farm visitor chowing down on strawberries (thanks Jonathan & Siobhan!). 

Happy 5th Week of the CSA season! 
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REMINDERS 

CBF's Clagett Farm for the "Reconnecting Our Roots" event coming Sunday, June 26:  Those of you on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's email list may have seen an invite this week to "Reconnecting Our Roots," an event being hosted at the farm on Sunday, June 26. At the event, you'll earn more the farm, food, and the connection between local agriculture and the health of the Bay. More information and registration is available on CBF's website. The event is free and open to individuals of all ages. Lunch will be provided, and the event will be rain or shine. Join us! 

Send us your photos! Each week, we aim to feature a CSA member's photo in our updates. It can be a photo you snap of the vegetables you receive, a photo of a dish you make with the share (like the one below), or photos from a visit to the farm. There are two ways to get them to us: email us your own photos or post them to Instagram with hashtag #ClagettFarm. We'll feature them here!

THIS WEEK'S SHARE

3/4 pound greens (collards, kale, lettuce, Tokyo bekana, bok choi and more)

1 pound garlic scapes (check out a recipe below!)

3/4 pounds choice of turnips or kohlrabi (limited quantities - there will be more kohlrabi next week)

At Dupont: Choose 1 pint of strawberries or 1/4 pound basil

At the Farm: Choose 1 point strawberries or 1 zucchini 

 

WHAT'S ON U-PICK:

• Strawberries. They're still growing. You can u-pick today (Wednesday after 3P) or Thursday (anytime), Saturday (after 1p), or anytime Sunday and Monday. [No u-pick on Friday or Tuesday.] 
• Herbs (oregano, thyme, mint, sage, sorrel, parsley)
• New: Basil. 

 WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT WEEK:

• Greens
• More Zucchini
• More Kohlrabi
• Turnips
• A few carrots

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS

We have a few recipe suggestions this week. Two -- for garlic scapes and turnips -- are from Farm to Feast Catering, who sampled food at last week's pick-up. And we also have two drink recipes -- one with and one without alcohol (thanks Jonathan & Siobhan). Please send us your recipe suggestions! 

Garlic Scape Dip

10 Garlic Scapes
¼ nuts (we used almonds)
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
¼ cup grated parmean
¼ cup parsley
¼ cup garlic
salt and pepper
½ plain yogurt
2 tablespoons sour cream

Directions: Wash the garlic scapes and cut off any woody bits. Put the first 7 ingredients into a food processor and pulse a few times until you have a paste. Mix with yogurt until smooth, add a little sour cream for acid and smoothness. Let sit an hour for the garlic to mellow.

Pickled Turnip and Turnip Greens Salad From Sunset Magazine

Yield: Serves 4
3 bunches turnips with greens
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
5 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon apricot jelly or jam (we used peach)

Directions: Cut greens into 3-in.-long pieces (you should have about 5 heaping cups) and put in a medium nonreactive bowl. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and massage into greens until evenly distributed.

Thinly slice turnips on a hand-held slicer. Put in a large nonreactive bowl, add 1 tsp. salt, and mix until evenly distributed. Set greens and turnips aside at room temperature 1 hour for salt to pull water from vegetables, massaging them once or twice. Greens will turn dark green and sliced turnips will become wilted and slightly translucent.

Pour 6 cups cold water and plenty of ice over sliced turnips and set aside 10 minutes to crisp. (No need to ice greens.)

Meanwhile, stir vinegar, sugar, jelly, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in bowl until sugar dissolves. Squeeze out as much excess liquid from greens as you can. Coarsely chop greens and add to vinegar mixture.

Drain turnips and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Add turnips to bowl of greens and toss until well combined. Serve cold.

 

Strawberry Gin Smash (cocktail) - pictured on the right below

1/2 tsp sugar
1 lime wedge
4 large fresh strawberries or equivalent little ones; reserve one
3 oz gin
Club soda
1-2 sorrel leaves
1 fresh mint sprig
ice

In a tall glass, combine sugar and juice from the lime wedge. Muddle with a spoon to dissolve the sugar.

Slice all but one strawberry. Add to glass and lightly muddle.

Fill the glass half way with ice, add sorrel and muddle again. Fill to the top with ice. Pour gin over the ice, top off with club soda to fill the glass. Garnish with reserved strawberry and mint sprig (you can use the mint sprig to stir the drink while you sip!).

Tip: My husband likes to add a drizzle of honey or agave nectar to the top of the drink to sweeten it a bit more, otherwise this is a dry but refreshing cocktail

Strawberry Ginger Smash (mocktail) (pictured left in the photo above)
1 lime wedge
4 large fresh strawberries or equivalent little ones; reserve one
Ginger ale (soda)
1-2 sorrel leaves
1 fresh mint sprig
ice

In a glass, muddle juice from the lime wedge with 3 sliced strawberries.

Add sorrel leaves and muddle again. Fill glass with ice.

Pour ginger ale over ice to fill the glass. Garnish with the reserved strawberry and mint sprig (you can use the mint sprig to stir the drink while you sip!)

 

That's week 5! Let us know if you have any questions!

~ The Clagett Farm Team

This Week's Share: Chinese cabbage, strawberries and more

 

 Happy 4th Week of the CSA season! (Thanks to Farmer Carrie for this tiny turtle shot!)
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REMINDERS 

Wish Jared a Happy Birthday: One of our farm staff -- Jared -- is celebrating a birthday today. If you see him, wish him a happy birthday and give him a big thanks.  Two Fridays ago he was bit by a black widow while planting your corn, and though he was in a lot of pain, he showed up the next morning to help harvest in the rain. So if any you see him at the farm today, pat him on the back and wish him a happy birthday.

Send us your photos! Each week, we aim to feature a CSA member's photo in our updates. It can be a photo you snap of the vegetables you receive, a photo of a dish you make with the share (like the one below), or photos from a visit to the farm. There are two ways to get them to us: email us your own photos or post them to Instagram with hashtag #ClagettFarm. We'll feature them here!

THIS WEEK'S SHARE

1 pint strawberries

1/2 pound total combination:

• lettuce
• spicy mix
• kale
• bok choy
• garlic scapes
• plus limited quantities of other greens

Choose 1 of the following:

• 1 head Chinese/Napa cabbage (this is the only week for these cabbages - they're big, averaging 2.75lb/head)
• 3/4 pound total combination of purple top turnips, scarlet ohno turnips, hakurei turnips, pink beauty radishes

 

 

WHAT'S ON U-PICK:

• Strawberries! You can u-pick today (Wednesday after 3P) or Thursday (anytime), Saturday (after 1P), or anytime Sunday and Monday. [No u-pick on Friday or Tuesday.] 
• Herbs (oregano, thyme, mint, sage, sorrel, parsley)

 WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT WEEK:

• More lettuce, chard, and other greens
• More turnips and radishes
• Strawberries should continue over the next week
• We should see the first kohlrabi come into the share next week.
• Zucchini will start to appear in small quantities. 

RECIPE SUGGESTION

We have two recipe recommendations from members this week. The first is from Chris, who made a cold leek and potato soup using his garlic scallions from last week. Chris topped the soup with homemade croutons.

The second recipe comes from CSA Member McKinley, for Kashmiri-Style Turnips with Greens. Have a recipe to recommend? Let us know! Here's McKinley's note: 

Kashmiri-Style Turnips With Greens

This is an adaptation from http://www.chroniclebooks.com/blog/2013/05/15/from-the-chronicle-kitchen-roots-2/ which is an adaptation of a recipe from Raghavan Iyer’s splendid 660 Curries, using baby turnips with their bushy greens instead of the kohlrabi Iyer suggests. Like kohlrabi, turnips “come alive in the presence of sweet fennel, pungent ginger, hot chiles, and smoky cardamom.”  [I thought I had cardamon pods, but alas, I did not - so I used coriander seeds instead]

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 serrano chile, stemmed, halved lengthwise, seeded, deribbed, and finely minced
1 tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 black cardamom pods [I used 1 tsp of coriander seeds plus​​ a few pepper corns and ground them with the fennel]
1 tsp fennel seeds, ground in a mortar or spice grinder
14 oz/400 g baby turnips, trimmed and halved or quartered, depending on their size [I had just one of the big ole' purple-top turnips we got in weeks' 1 and 2 shares, and peeled the waxy exterior]
2/3 cup/165 ml water
1 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
About 4 cups/120 g lightly packed chopped turnip greens [I used all the greens from that one mighty turnip]
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chile and ginger and sauté until fragrant and soft but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the cardamom pods and fennel and sauté just until aromatic, about 20 seconds. Add the turnips, water, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the turnips are almost tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes. Pack the greens on top, cover, and let the greens wilt, about 3 minutes longer.

2. Give the greens and turnips a gentle stir and then add the cream. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.

I Julianne'd the purple part of the turnip's skin and used it as a garnish.

 

 

That's week 4! Let us know if you have any questions!

~ The Clagett Farm Team